


shadows of the mess you made

by caesarions



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Awkward Crush, Boats and Ships, F/F, Family Dynamics, First Dates, Flowers, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Endgame, Reunions, Sharing a Bed, Sibling Bonding, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-07 03:49:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16400792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caesarions/pseuds/caesarions
Summary: and you will go to Mykonos / with a vision of a gentle coast / and a sun to maybe dissipate / shadows of the mess you made.Deimos—no, Alexios—is acclimating to real life now after all that has conspired. In that case, what better way than by experimenting with real love?





	1. sparta i

**Author's Note:**

> i know everyone will be writing happy endings for protagonist alexios' romance with thaletas (and please do, i will read them all!!!), so i decided to do something a little different. since kassandra is the 'canon' protagonist, i wanted to play with the idea of thaletas and alexios meeting after the good ending to give post-cult alexios some much needed TLC. i'm also a sucker for found family and reformed villains doing normal people things. by good ending, i mean that the whole family is alive, alexios is nice again, and thaletas is recalled to sparta at the end of kyra's romance instead of you killing him.
> 
> since protagonist kassandra is ~10 years older than alexios, i'm not sure if the ages work out, because we don't know how old thaletas is. the ancient greeks sure didn't care about age gaps, but I DO!!!, so whatever makes it not weird and two consenting adults. i will make their ages explicit if we ever find out.
> 
> song is 'mykonos' by the fleet foxes.
> 
> on that note, please enjoy!

“I don’t wish to go on this errand.”

Kassandra shoved one of the baskets into his chest. It hit only cloth, since he had taken off his armor for good. “Oh, but you will.”

“But it’s boring!” Alexios argued, trailing after Kassandra, who set out at a brisk pace to marketplace. “You always do all the talking.”

His sister gave a well-meaning glare before facing ahead. Ikaros did the same. “That is because you terrify the poor merchants. We have already caused enough trouble in Sparta for a lifetime. Once you learn to wipe the scowl from your face, I will let you try to socialize.”

How did one wipe off an expression? Alexios looked at his fist. Perhaps he could—

“Don’t do it,” Kassandra warned without looking back.

Alexios pouted and carried the basket with both hands once more.

Thankfully, the rest of the walk was relatively uneventful as they passed through the sun-dried mud homes. Zeus’ skies were overcast, so many stayed inside. That meant less mothers to pull their children away from the very sight of Deimos, though that monster existed no longer.

Besides, he had tried to apologize! Although, Brasidas’ family did not have to forgive him.

“Thaletas! I had no idea you were still in Sparta!”

Kassandra sprinted away as soon as they entered the busy marketplace. Any sight of the mystery man was blocked by her ferocious hug. Even Ikaros squawked and circled their embrace from above.

And Kassandra always told _him_ not to make a scene. Mumbling apologies to the other foot traffic, Alexios made his way up to the pair. He cracked his knuckles just in case.

“This general is on leave. I always expressed my desire to return home,” this Thaletas character laughed. “I should be the one surprised, _misthios_. You always claimed the opposite.”

True enough, he was in civilian clothing, but that was the last thing Alexios would have noticed. Despite the clouds, Apollo directed one beam of sunlight onto the man to match his smile. Instead of being crushed by years of wearing helmets, the wind rustled his fluffy, fawn locks.

Alexios scurried behind his sister.

“Oh, how times change.” Kassandra finally leaned back, a pallor suddenly cast upon her face. “Are you still angry about Kyra?”

“...No, I got over her. We were never _together_ together in the first place.” Thaletas scratched at his stubble. It looked enticingly fresh, grown in just right; Alexios knew the feeling of the first shave after a long campaign. “I only regret that I haven’t found someone new yet. How do you do it, _misthios_ , master romancer?”

“I find that hard to believe! But since women have scorned you so,” Kassandra offered, “what about a man?”

The Spartan general laughed heartily, although without offense. “Like who?”

Ikaros ceased circling and landed on Alexios’ head.

Traitor.

“Like my brother?”

Traitor!

Thaletas raised his eyebrows, his rose mouth opening softly, but his silence stretched on too long to mean anything good.

Alexios ran.

Ikaros’ wing slapped his face once in a flurry of surprise. In the distance, he heard Kassandra shout, “ _Maláka_! My basket!”

   
“Thank you, Thaletas.”

“Only a small favor, _misthios_. And I don’t even require _drachmae_ in return.”

“Very funny!”

Alexios had sprinted the whole way back to hide in his childhood bedroom. Standing with his back flat against the wall, he listened as the fresh groceries were deposited on the table over idle chatter. He could not peek out of the door without the risk of being spotted.

Instead, he stole a guilty look at the basket in the corner.

“He’s gone now, you know.”

“Gods!” Alexios jumped out of his skin after Kassandra suddenly materialized in the doorway. “Must you always do that?”

“It is in the job description.” Chuckling, she grabbed Alexios by the arm. “Come, little brother.”

As he was led into the main room, Alexios noticed Ikaros perched on the window. Kassandra sat Alexios down at the empty end of the table and went to retrieve some wine.

“What happened back there?” Kassandra asked softly as she poured into the first _kylix_ , and then another for herself.

Alexios nursed his cup and pouted. He would not have answered if Kassandra was not staring him down with righteous fury. “...Why would you say something like that?”

“What?” Kassandra sat down. “You mean ‘like my brother?’”

The Greek man huffed. He hid his face with more of the cup. “Yes. But as a joke.”

“Well, do you not want it to be a joke?” Leaning forward, she touched his arm comfortingly.

Alexios threw his arms up and knocked her hand off. “I don’t know!”

Ikaros squawked at the sudden outburst. Thoroughly rebuked, Alexios shrunk back into his seat and flushed as dark as the wine.

“Well, good thing it was no joke, then,” Kassandra retorted. “I am always looking out for you, brother. I thought you would be Thaletas’ type, as Kyra was mine. Perhaps even more so. A Spartan deserves a Spartan.”

It was too much to take in all at once. Alexios downed the rest of his alcohol instead of answering.

“You are more than allowed to talk about your feelings, Alexios.” She took the cup away from him, lest something happen.

He only squinted suspiciously in return. “What in Hades would I do that for?”

“Oh, you big baby.” Kassandra sighed hopelessly. “I guess you do not want me to ask Thaletas to meet you before we set sail again, then.”

If Alexios had ears, they would be perked up. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“So did I,” Stentor said as he swung the door open. Alexios always blissfully forgot he still lived here, too. “What scheme are you terrible twins hatching this time?”

Alexios crossed his arms puerilely. “None of your business.”

“I think I have found another way to integrate Alexios into normal life: a romantic partner,” Kassandra reported without abandon.

Traitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *inserts pun about kassandra being a literal wingman*
> 
> kudos and comments are appreciated since this is my first venture into the fandom!


	2. sparta ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their first (proper) meeting, Thaletas discovers that the flowers of Sparta are not up to his standards—except for one.

_Meet him next morning at the_ Dromos, Kassandra’s sharp voice rang in Alexios’ head. _He agreed to spend the day with you_.

Alexios could only hope that the agreement had not actually been a contract. Since she was a _misthios_ , Kassandra was unlikely to have paid Thaletas to pity her little brother. However, the threat of violence was not out of the question.

Cresting the hill with Apollo’s morning sun, Alexios watched the exercise grounds on his perch from afar like Ikaros. Thankfully, the bird had not joined him today.

The dust kicked up from the athletes hitting caked earth would have bothered Ikaros, anyway. Alexios swatted at the air around his own face. He assumed it was blocking his vision, but when he reached the bottom, Thaletas was still nowhere to be found.

Panic gripped Alexios’ heart as he tried to look around inconspicuously. Before he could run away again, a familiar voice rang out.

“This will be my third and final point!”

Turning around, Alexios caught the last of the wrestling match. Both men naked, Thaletas picked up his opponent and threw the poor soul out of the marked square entirely.

Alexios flushed.

As the referee announced the results of the match, Thaletas gloated with his hands on his hips. When the crowd disbanded, however, he offered his hand to the other man on the ground. “Are you alright, Leandros?”

“Nothing that won’t heal!” the youth responded with good nature as he rose. “Good luck today.”

“Thank you, my friend! I need it.”

Alexios kept his eyes averted. The less he saw of naked, muscled men, the better. When he heard the other man’s footsteps turning away, Alexios replaced him.

“Alexios!” Thaletas clapped his hands as he saw Alexios walking up. “How long have you been here? Am I making you wait, or are you enjoying the show?”

Before he could flush any redder, Alexios grunted non-committedly. “I thought you were on leave.”

“That is true, but it is no excuse to let myself go.” Thaletas closed the distance between them. “A new enemy could arise at any time. Or, even better, someone I desire to impress.”

Alexios bit the inside of his cheek. Hopefully they were not one and the same.

“...Are you going to put some clothes on now?”

“I was actually hoping you would request the opposite.” Thaletas winked, but it soon turned into blinking awkwardly. “Which would mean… I would still be naked. That’s the opposite. Are any of these working? Kassandra fed me some lines.”

Alexios cleared his throat. He stared off into Zeus’ azure sky. “They are not… _not_ working.”

“Good enough for me. Stay here, and I’ll return dressed.”

As Thaletas turned around, Alexios cursed and covered his eyes.

He might have peeked between his fingers just a little bit.

 

“Did you have any plans for today?” A fully-clothed Thaletas asked once they left the _Dromos_.

Panic seized Alexios for the second time that morning. He gaped at Thaletas like a fish. “Was I supposed to make some?”

“Kassandra told me in advance that you wouldn’t know what to do, so I should have something in mind,” Thaletas shrugged. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t approve my plans.”

“Shoot.” Before they entered the hustle and bustle of the city, Alexios crossed his arms and stood in a challenge.

Thaletas eyed him warily. “Well… I miss the flora of Delos. I wanted to hike around the Spartan countryside and see if I could find even one spot as beautiful. Then, we could have a picnic there, if you would like.” Thaletas shook a sack he had packed for emphasis.

If Alexios expected anything at all, it was not that. But if he denied, then Thaletas’ thoughts and food would go to waste.

“...Okay?”

“Okay,” Thaletas shrugged. Despite Alexios’ mixed response, the general let a smile slip.

In an even bigger surprise, Alexios found himself either wanting to kiss that smile or planning what to say to see that smile again.

“You were… in Delos?” Alexios could not help but ask as they began walking across the city. The foot traffic pushed their bodies closer together. Surely this was what the people called small talk.

“Oh, I was just a polemarch when we were sent to kill some Athenian dogs in the Silver Islands,” Thaletas reminisced. “Once there, it was necessary to act as general because of… desperate circumstances. Sparta eventually gifted me a true promotion for my actions.”

Athenians. Alexios spit at his feet.

“That’s the spirit!” Clapping Alexios on the back, Thaletas smiled wider. For a second, Alexios thought the Fates had cut his thread early. “I was told you’re a lieutenant on your sister’s ship, but did you hold any previous positions?”

On second thought, perhaps the Fates did.

Had Kassandra truly left Thaletas in the dark as to his past? Of all things, his past? Did she expect him to explain his atrocities within the Cult all alone?

Alexios felt as if he was swallowing stone. “Nothing important.”

“Well, being born Spartan is a gift in itself,” Thaletas shrugged. If he noticed something off, he made no mention.

More like a curse, Alexios thought.

On their way out of the city, Thaletas weaved through childhood shortcuts Alexios never had the chance to discover. No one moved their children away from sunny-faced Thaletas. In fact, most Spartans waved to him, recognizing him even without his armor. He must have made quite the impact before leaving for Delos.

Alexios crossed his arms about his chest tight enough to cut off his breathing. If he truly resented Thaletas for having a good life, then he was no better than the child the Cult thought him to be.

Instead, he began to wave back with Thaletas.

Sparta had no walls, save for its warriors, so the urban sprawl melted away lethargically as they strolled. Before the two men knew it, the whole city was behind them, and vegetation reigned.

“We could climb to a vantage point,” Thaletas suggested. “We should be able to spot any beautiful places below us and then go to them. Or, perhaps we will find a suitable spot while climbing. What about Mount Taygetos?”

The Fates truly were testing Alexios.

“Um,” he stammered, praying to the gods that his face did not burn as red as it felt, “uh, I’ve been to the summit before. The land eventually becomes bare meadows and rock formations.” Ugly, gnarled, lifeless things, all which taunted and haunted him.

The Spartan tilted his head. “When was that?”

“Twice,” Alexios huffed. One bad, one good—well, semi-good. Deimos had still pointed a sword at his sister’s throat before finding Alexios. “I don’t remember the first.”

Scrunching and unscrunching his brows, Thaletas seemed to be on the proverbial cliff’s edge of figuring it out. Alexios walked forward so as to not see Thaletas’ face if he ever did.

“Well, it makes no matter.” Thaletas almost had to run to keep up with him by that point. When he glanced over, Thaletas was smiling. “We can still walk around the river valley. The river is beautiful this time of year.”

Alexios had no idea what the river did this time of year. Still, he humored Thaletas, if just for his visage. 

The two men followed the west bank of the Eurotas to nowhere in particular. Alexios had to admit, it was a nice change of pace from the mountain chain that moved the Earth to chase him in his dreams.

Instead, at this low point, the emerald hills enveloped them in a hug. Rushing to one side, the river added relaxing ambience. So would have the birds chirping, but Alexios scanned Zeus’ skies each time to ensure it was not Ikaros following them. Thaletas focused on the ground, picking a rainbow of tiny meadow blossoms. It seemed a more important task than any Athenian invasion could ever be.

“I think I finally have enough,” Thaletas announced when the sun was high in the sky, warming their backs like a mother’s kiss.

Alexios looked at his improvised bouquet. “For what?”

“For your hair.” Thaletas turned to the other, excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Sit down.”

Though blinking in surprise—Thaletas was full of them, it seemed—Alexios did as instructed. He found a flat, dry boulder next to the river and plopped atop it.

Thaletas deposited the sack of food in the other’s lap. “If you are comfortable with it, that is. If not, then we can just eat.”

Alexios blinked again. “Um… okay.”

Kneeling on the boulder behind him, Thaletas began his work. If he thought that picking the flowers seemed important, then this was monumentous, godly, even.

Alexios jumped initially, a feeling he couldn’t place shooting down his spine. Truth be told, it felt as if he was putting his life in the other’s hands. Alexios’ scraggly, long locks symbolized he had followed neither Spartan nor Athenian coming of age ceremonies. He had not been allowed.

Thaletas’ hands were deft, so he could not feel on edge for long. To his own horror, Alexios began to lean back into the general.

Once comfortable, Alexios was just curious about the hairstyle. He tried to turn his head. “What are you doing?”

“Stay still,” Thaletas instructed with a chuckle.

Immediately, Alexios faced forward and tightened all of his limbs. His fingernails dug white crescent moons into his calves.

Thaletas’ concern was evident in his voice. “I did not mean… _that_ still. You can relax, Alexios.”

Could he? He could only try. Permission granted, Alexios leaned back into Thaletas.

All he could feel was Thaletas making gentle criss-cross motions, never pulling. All he could see was Thaletas picking up the blossoms one by one.

“I am glad we picked the river, then. Go look at yourself.”

Setting the sack of food on the boulder, Alexios rose to again follow orders. It was a short walk, made shorter by Alexios’ heroic leaps in his apprehension.

Calm and clear, the Eurotas revealed one red flower stuck behind his ear. But when Alexios twisted around, the makeshift mirror revealed an entire meadow in his hair. The multicolored blossoms were supported by thick braid, not unlike the one Kassandra always wore. That was going to give her ideas.

“What do you think?” Thaletas asked shakily when Alexios was silent for too long. He approached the other with his arms folded behind his back.

“Oh, my apologies. It’s great!” Alexios said, so genuinely it almost hurt. “How did you do this?”

Pointing to his own braided hair, Thaletas chuckled. “It’s not much different. I thought of the idea as soon as I laid eyes on you.”

Alexios flushed sanguine and overheated.

Pulling his other hand out from behind his back, Alexios found Thaletas holding a bouquet of various red flowers.

“I saved these because I thought they were the prettiest,” the general explained, his own cheeks not immune to the intimate moment. He stared at Alexios, naked in the face. “I can see now I was wrong. I just had to wait.”

Swallowing rocks again, Alexios mumbled, “Did my sister feed you those lines, too?”

“No,” Thaletas promised softly.

Apollo’s sun shined on both of their smiles then. Leaning closer over the Spartan red bouquet, Alexios closed his eyes.

Then, there came a distinctive caw.

“Ikaros!” Alexios pulled back from Thaletas’ lips and yelled into the nether. Looking around, he spotted the eagle perching himself on the top of a tree on their side of the river. When Alexios picked up a pebble and flung it at the bird, obviously trying to miss, Ikaros flapped away.

“ _Maláka_! Get back here, you coward!” Alexios took off in the same direction. Laughing like a boy, Thaletas followed.

The food would go to waste, anyway. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEET... i finally know where i’m going with this fic 
> 
> thank you all for your support on the first chapter, and i hope you continue to read!


	3. at sea i

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After proving to be a good match, Kassandra lets Alexios loose in the care of Thaletas. The off-duty general was planning a vacation to some familiar islands, anyway. Alexios tags along to learn how to relax.
> 
> Or else.

“If I see that _malákas_ bird following our ship, I will not be afraid to shoot him down this time.”

“He has a name,” Kassandra chuckled while scratching Ikaros’ belly, who perched atop her head.

Alexios shifted uncomfortably on the dock. “You will need Ikaros where you’re headed.”

“I am just meeting Sophokles, and his only weapons are his infinite words.” Kassandra patted her little brother on the shoulder as her face turned grave. “...Athens without Kleon will be a completely different place, but I still wouldn’t force you to go back there until you’re ready.”

Alexios huffed his thanks and stretched his back, where Kleon had pierced him with an arrow, the wound still healing. He cast his eyes to the ground.

That would never fly. Kassandra used the hand on his shoulder to pull Alexios into a bone-crushing hug.

“Promise me, little brother,” she whispered so no one else on the dock could hear, “to enjoy yourself. Be yourself.”

Wrapping his sister in a vice grip, Alexios gulped. “...I’ll try. I really will.”

“Most of all, be good.” With that, Kassandra pulled away and grinned. She spoke at a normal volume again. “I think a vacation will do you both some good. I’m a little jealous.”

“I’m sorry,” Alexios murmured.

“I didn’t mean that literally.” After raising her eyebrow, Kassandra relented, chuckling softly. “On second thought, never change, Alexios.”

“Will you two be done soon, or do you want me to set sail at midnight?”

Brother, sister, and eagle all looked up with the same irritated expression. The ship captain hired to take Thaletas and Alexios to the Silver Islands stared down at them with righteous fury. A man was a god, if only on his own ship.

Kassandra only rolled her eyes, but Alexios stomped forward. “Hey—!”

“Hey! They can spend as much time on their goodbyes as they want.” Thaletas had already beat Alexios to it. Currently on board with their luggage, Thaletas crossed his arms and approached the captain. “Or, I can keep my _drachmae_.”

No one was burlier than a Spartan, not even a sailor. The captain frowned and slunk away like the sun-dried lizard he was.

A jab greeted Alexios’ side. Looking down, he found Kassandra elbowing him and winking.

“Stop embarrassing me,” Alexios grumbled. “He’s being nice.”

The siblings shared one more hug before seeing each other off. Alexios even gave Ikaros a pat. Kassandra waved goodbye as Alexios ascended the vessel. Thaletas grabbed his hand, even if the other didn’t require any help.

“Are you excited?” Thaletas asked as Kassandra walked back to the _Adrestia_.

Alexios tucked his hair behind his ears as the wind began to bite. They weren’t even at sea yet. “I think so.”

“You,” Thaletas chuckled, “only think so?”

Shrugging self-consciously, Alexios glanced around the desk. “I’m not sure what constitutes as excitement. My heart rate is up.”

“...That’s good enough, I think.” The Spartan general smiled and rubbed circles into Alexios’ forearm. “I planned this trip as soon as I was granted leave, but I never dreamed I would have company.”

Pouting, Alexios leaned against the wall of the ship. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No! Not at all. I am happy to share my favorite places with someone, especially if it’s you.” Thaletas also leaned. The casual pose looked good on them, along with the sea breeze ruffling his hair. “Actually, it could have been awkward facing my old haunts alo—”

Suddenly, Thaletas was on top of Alexios, lurching forward as the ship jerked into motion. As both men stammered and processed what happened, Thaletas remained tucked in Alexios’ chest. Reflexively, Alexios placed a hand on the small of Thaletas’ back.

The captain apparated seemingly out of nowhere. “We’re sailing now.”

“Thanks, we got it,” Alexios huffed. When the other man scurried away in a quick hurry, Alexios was finally thankful for his natural grimace.

The Spartan general pulled himself off of Alexios, but not all the way. “I wondered how you stayed standing, but now I see. That was like landing on a stone wall.” When Alexios only scrunched his brows, Thaletas continued, “That was a compliment.”

“Oh… I’m not used to those,” the Greek man admitted awkwardly, cognizant of his hand still on Thaletas’ back.

Thaletas returned the favor with a hand of his own. “Well, it’s about time you started to be.”

 

“This is your cabin,” the ship captain announced. After a full day of sailing, he looked even more so a lizard. Now, with night fallen and the banquet dispersed, the Spartans had finally inquired as to their lodgings. Land warriors could only look at water for so long.

Thaletas scanned the immediate area, practically a wooden hole. “There is only one bed.”

Nodding, the captain folded his arms in a challenge.

“There are two of us,” Alexios defended Thaletas as the other man had him this morning.

The captain raised his eyebrows. “No more vacant cabins.”

“Strange,” Thaletas huffed, “considering that we are the only two passengers aboard.”

Shrugging, the captain left anyway.

“I think I angered him.” Once the captain was out of earshot and the door closed, the Spartan general chuckled. “I can either anger him more by demanding another cabin, or I can sleep on the ground. Whatever you wish.”

Alexios glanced at the splintered floorboards. “That’s fine. I mean, that’s fine, as in, you don’t have to do that.” When Thaletas did not answer, Alexios looked up sheepishly through his eyelashes. “...Is there a third option?”

“Only if you’re sure,” Thaletas forewarned, but he was already smiling, and Alexios would never say no to that.

By torchlight, the two men took opposite sides of the room and undressed. Alexios found his bedclothes in his luggage and slipped into the thin shift. When the floorboards ceased creaking, Alexios assumed Thaletas had done the same.

“Gods!” Alexios groaned after turning around and realizing he had assumed incorrectly. He threw a hand over his eyes. “Again, Thaletas?”

Thaletas threw his arms out, his chest muscles stretching.  “Are you not Greek? We do every other activity naked!”

“No, I guess not!” If Alexios was awkward, it extended to all areas. Despite himself, Alexios broke into a laugh—the first in a long time.

He felt around for the bed in his self-imposed darkness. However, his foot hit the bed frame before his hand, and so Alexios went for a little tumble.

“Careful!” Thaletas chuckled. Even from the other side of the bed, he was coordinated enough to catch Alexios and hold him up by the torso.

It was not the first time that day that their arms had ended up around each other.

Did it have to be the last?

Eyes still closed, Alexios felt Thaletas gently pull him closer and under the covers. Once he was surrounded by wool and warmth, Alexios heard Thaletas breathe, “You can open your eyes now.”

Thaletas was decent, as he was covered by the blankets. Alexios began, “It’s about t—”

“Hold on, I take it back.” When Thaletas hopped out of bed, Alexios guffawed and covered his face again. Thaletas instructed, “No, just be patient! I’m blowing out the torches.”

Sure enough, when Alexios peeked between his fingers this time, all he saw was midnight black. Well—almost. Moonlight floated in between the cracks of wooden walls shoddily fit together. This cheap, old vessel could sink them someday soon, but Alexios found himself suddenly thankful. He observed Thaletas’ silvery frame climb back into bed.

However, Thaletas stopped before his last spot. A chasm grew between them, worsened by Thaletas turning his back to Alexios.

Alexios listened until the sheets stilled. Then, his lips twitched into a pout. Had he himself not suggested the third option? This seemed like an unnatural progression of events, a step backwards, even to Alexios, who knew so little of courting.

After a few agonizing moments inched by like stone, Alexios gulped. He wiggled forward in increments, little by little. If Thaletas even so much as breathed, Alexios halted himself.

Eventually, he lied in Thaletas’ previous imprint, which still smelled of the general, salt and citrus. 

“Turn around.”

Alexios gaped like one of the fish caught in Ikaros’ talons. Flushing with shame, Alexios attempted to make no noise as he did as he was told. He had already revealed too much of his intentions.

The bed creaked once more. In a monumentous matter of seconds, Thaletas’ chest was pressed against his back, along with an arm around Alexios, keeping him there.

Alexios’ heart rate jumped from near-death to drumming as his body tensed.

Thaletas raised his head from the bed in concern. “I thought that moving meant you wanted to cuddle. Was I incorrect?”

“...No,” Alexios admitted through gritted teeth. The Spartan’s arm went over his chest, so Alexios’ heartbeat most definitely betrayed him. “Just surprised, is all.”

“You make no sense, Alexios.” Before Alexios could panic again, Thaletas nuzzled his way into the other’s neck. “But I love a challenge.”

A warm feeling took root in Alexios’ chest. Him proving to be a challenge had never been a good thing in the Cult.

Since everyone fell asleep before Alexios—if Alexios did at all—he assumed Thaletas would be no different. His second surprise came when Thaletas kept rubbing Alexios’ back, even after a long while of lying together.

Then, it was only a matter of time before Thaletas found it.

Though owning many scars, Alexios almost jumped out of his skin when Thaletas’ fingertips brushed _that_ one, raised enough to feel even under fabric. Noticing his adverse reaction, Thaletas set his other hand on Alexios’ chest to still him. “Where did this wound come from, Alexios? It feels recent.”

He could lie his way out. He really could. But if he could not learn to share his past with Thaletas, then he could not hope to share it with anyone.

“...I was pierced in the back by an arrow,” Alexios started simply and comfortably. No lies, but no triggering details.

“Bows and arrows,” Thaletas _tsk_ - _tsk_ - _tsk_ ed. “A coward’s weapon.”

Looking down, Alexios squinted in the dark. He could see the outline of Thaletas’ hand on his heart. “...You really think so?”

“Whoever he was, I know so.” Thaletas, now gently patting his back, had never sounded more confident. “Why send a weapon away to do all of your work for you?”

Alexios sank into the bed with refreshed exhaustion. Or, perhaps it was not a new feeling, and Alexios had simply been keeping it all in. If Thaletas was not holding him, he would have sunk into the sea, too. 

“I wish I knew, Thaletas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alexios is a little spoon and a bottom. thank you

**Author's Note:**

> *inserts pun about kassandra being a literal wingman*
> 
> kudos and comments are appreciated since this is my first venture into the fandom!


End file.
